april 15th at about 6:30 pm-- the sound was remarkable. i can't remember that i've ever heard hail like this. i've seen it like this while driving in my car, but the sound in the house is quite different.
looked like tiny snow balls bouncing in the grass as it fell.
things weren't quite ready here. my photographing friend, she documents all the parties, was absent here. last minute change of plans and so i took the photos. my camera was acting up as well so all the pics could have been better. oh well. --- the carrot cake on the left is not yet fully "dressed". it looks a little odd.
alex and his friend playing in the toy room... waiting on the easter bunny to arrive.
my mom and i made the cupcakes the night before at 3 a.m. at that point we were just having fun.
jack borrowed the blue paper mache' basket my mom made alex when he was born.
zacky takes a load off and decides in the middle of the egg hunt to check out his new find.
who doesn't love confetti?
and candy???
my friend, nicole and her baby. 
dinner time.
camera took weird pics. too dark and photo shop didn't quite get it.
the end! HAPPY SPRING!!! 
getting ready for easter, the boys dunked their eggs in colored baths.
alex was very careful not to crush his. he has learned how fragile they are after several bad attempts.
zacky is always excited to try something new.
i was very proud of them both. they improved by leaps and bounds compared to last year.
these are mexican cascarones. the top is cracked open with a small hole to fill with confetti.
finishing up...
the last batches. we only made 10 dozen. it felt like a bunch (i've been saving egg shells since new year's), but in the end it was a small collection.
grampa pat fills the eggs with confetti while nonnie (grandma) glues squares of colored tissue paper to the tops. we use "grudo" which is a homemade paste made from flour and a little water. the kids were in bed by the time the eggs dried.
beautiful memories!!!
the pictures in no way capture the peril of trudging through the wilderness of this toyland. no one visits these rooms when they are in such disarray for fear of bodily injury.
alex has come out crying nursing new bruises or bumps on the head for misplacing a step.
i used to clean this up every night, but i need a life. and it only gets this way once in a while.but last time when daddy watched the boys while i went out with the girls, they brought down the drapes and the large ottoman was flipped over.
they say, "boys will be boys", but i don't know.
alex helps out.
the mess even spills into the connected bathroom. can you believe?
yes. there are way too many toys.
my caped avenger decides to lend a helping hand, but instead spots a blow-up sword he hasn't seen in days. off he goes.
even the dog is afraid to enter.
this is the reason i do not get to post very often. the rest of my life must be in order for me to take the time. and with two little ones. well, you know. life is beautiful.
after two hours of clean-up... i'm done. every bin is labeled with it's own category of stuff.
and every toy must be in the right place. hey, i haven't lost any pcs. yet.
except for a few balls that went into floor vents.
i bought these antique metal soldiers at poshchicago.com ; they have great stuff!~
boots from marta's room.
i use this collection of baseballs for a fourth of july arrangement. i really love them. laverty's-- 2 bucks a piece.
zacky picked out this spin top himself.
brobee (the little green monster) is zack's favorite. the cute robot pail i found at terra toys in austin. ...a great toy store!
daddy played the guitar and used to sing "puff the magic dragon" when we were children. how could i resist? i think, though, it might have been subversive and part of the counter-culture in the 60s-70s. i am not sure. need to look into that. daddy was a teeny-bit hippy.
